Health and Human Services / Summer Conference
Counties Provide Best Practices for Preserving the Safety of Older Citizens

Delegate Ben Kramer of Montgomery County moderated an educational session at MACo's Summer Conference on the increase of Alzheimer’s and Autism in our communities and one innovative government response to the rise in endangered missing persons.  The session was sponsored by the Maryland Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Delegate Kramer sits on the House Economic Matters Committee and recently served on the Joint Committee on Access to Mental Health Services. Sarah Lenz Lock, Senior Vice President for Policy, AARP…

Comments Off on Counties Provide Best Practices for Preserving the Safety of Older Citizens
August 19, 2014
Environment / NACo and Federal Issues / Summer Conference
US Senator Ben Cardin Holds “Town Hall” With Summer MACo Attendees

United States Senator Cardin held a Town Hall Meeting with attendees of the MACo Summer Conference, responding to questions from the audience on a variety of topics and speaking about transportation funding and economic revitalization in Maryland. The Senator said he will work this year for reauthorization of federal surface transportation funding, supplemental transportation funding, and an infrastructure bank to allow Maryland to start its projects and help address future transportation needs. Responding to questions on mental health care,…

Comments Off on US Senator Ben Cardin Holds “Town Hall” With Summer MACo Attendees
August 19, 2014
Public Safety and Corrections / Summer Conference
Mutual Aid: County-State-Nation Partnerships in Public Safety Technology

Nicholaus R. Kipke, Minority Leader of the Maryland House of Delegates lead the discussion of public safety technology at MACo's Summer Conference, in a panel entitled, Mutual Aid: County-State-Nation Partnerships in Public Safety Technology. Delegate Kipke serves on the House Heath and Government Operations Committee and the Government Operations Subcommittee. MACo's initiative bill on public safety radio technology was heard by the Health and Government Operations Committee last year.Maryland Broadband Coordinator Lori Romer Stone started the discussion with…

Comments Off on Mutual Aid: County-State-Nation Partnerships in Public Safety Technology
August 19, 2014
Education / Summer Conference
Common Core Comes to MACo Summer Conference

The State's education leadership shared their insight and perspective into Maryland's implementation of the Common Core Standards at MACo's Summer Conference. The Common Core Standards aim to ensure all students are ready for success after high school, by establishing clear, consistent guidelines for what every student should know and be able to do in math and English language arts from kindergarten through 12th grade. The Standards mark a departure from the content of what our children learn and…

Comments Off on Common Core Comes to MACo Summer Conference
August 19, 2014
Employee Benefits and Relations / Summer Conference
Conference Session: Maryland’s Progress Towards Pension Security

Senator Edward Kasemeyer, Chair of the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee led a discussion of public pension plan liabilities and the ways that the State and local governments are working to reduce liabilities. During the session, In the Wake of Detroit: Public Pension Liabilities, Elizabeth K. Kellar, President/CEO, Center for State and Local Government Excellence gave national perspective on unfunded liabilities of pension plans. Anne E. Gawthrop, Esq., the Maryland State Retirement Agency's Director of Legislative Affairs began with a…

Comments Off on Conference Session: Maryland’s Progress Towards Pension Security
August 16, 2014
Public Safety and Corrections / Summer Conference
“Community Rating System” Could Help Flood Insurance

Mari Radford, CFM, FEMA Region 3 and Kevin Wagner, CFM, Maryland Department of Environment shared the details of the National Flood Insurance Program’s  "Community Rating System" in an educational session at MACo's Summer Conference. The passage of Biggert Waters 2012 and Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 revised federal flood insurance law, creating opportunities for cost-savings. The Community Rating System (CRS) is one of the actions a community can take, on behalf of their residents…

Comments Off on “Community Rating System” Could Help Flood Insurance
August 16, 2014
Employee Benefits and Relations / Summer Conference
Workers Compensation Experts Discuss Medical Expense Inflation and Opioid Addiction

The Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company (CEIC) (formerly the Injured Workers’ Insurance Fund – IWIF), hosted county elected officials, administrators, and human resources personnel for a reception and forum to discuss topics in workers's compensation including cost drivers and employee safety at the MACo Summer Conference. Wicomico County Executive and MACo Immediate Past President Rick Pollitt introduced Chesapeake's speakers, Tim Michels, COO, Tina Thomas-Lyght, Senior Underwriter, Amy Gates, Director of the Strategic Business Unit, and Dr. Stephen Fisher, Medical Advisor.…

Comments Off on Workers Compensation Experts Discuss Medical Expense Inflation and Opioid Addiction
August 16, 2014
Education
All Somerset County Students Will Now Receive Free Breakfast and Lunch

As reported in the Delmarvanow, students in Somerset County will receive breakfast and lunch at school as part of a program that seeks to remove the stigma from children who receive a free lunch, while ensuring that children are not hungry during the school day. In the county, 20.4 percent of households are below the poverty level, with 72 percent of nearly 3,000 students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. Having the state's highest percentage of low-income households has…

Comments Off on All Somerset County Students Will Now Receive Free Breakfast and Lunch
August 11, 2014
Public Safety and Corrections / Summer Conference
Maryland Seeks to be First in FirstNet Public Safety Broadband

Last week, Maryland held the first initial consultation with the US Department of Commerce First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) officials on creating a state plan for the FirstNet national public safety broadband network.  The meeting was held with Maryland officials in Annapolis, MACo was invited to attend as a guest based on our assistance in creating a statewide radio governance board this past legislative session. Throughout the day-long event, state and local government officials and representatives…

Comments Off on Maryland Seeks to be First in FirstNet Public Safety Broadband
August 7, 2014
Employee Benefits and Relations / Summer Conference
Federal Court Upholds Baltimore City Pension Reforms

As reported by the Baltimore Sun, a federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's overhaul of Baltimore's police and fire pension system, but left open avenues for the unions to keep fighting. As described, The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., overturned a lower court's ruling in 2012 that a key provision of the 2010 law limiting cost-of-living increases for younger retirees was unconstitutional and not reasonable. The appeals court concluded…

Comments Off on Federal Court Upholds Baltimore City Pension Reforms
August 7, 2014
Newer Posts
Older Posts